sharp1 write: So I'd say they are friendly, but a true Brit might take a little more to warm up too! lol Much more formal than we are.

YOU are right there...to be accepted in British society could take you a lifetime esp when you have not been properly introduced..I had it better in that I was married into it and so the foot is already in the door..but to stay there takes a different mind-set..of course Londoners are different than the rest of the country..more cosmopolitan and probably less friendly too.

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Sharp, Now that you have been to London , what is your impression of the Brit? I am not a Brit only a Long term resident, so I do not represent the archetypal reserve Brit.

Well Bonnie, I wasn't really exposed to alot of Brits, because London is composed of a myriad of cultures and ethnic people. The Taxi driver who picked us up at the airport was apologetic about London & England. He seemed to be unhappy with his country and government.
One of the staff at the hotel was British. You could tell...stiff upper lift and all...very formal when she addressed me. But my son kept chatting her up, and toward the end of the trip she had loosened up some and was more conversational with us, yet still very British in her formality.
So I'd say they are friendly, but a true Brit might take a little more to warm up too! lol Much more formal than we are.

sharp1 write: [During one of my travels, I also met a Dr & his wife. As well as, a couple from Sheffield. Their accents were distinctly different! The Dr. one evening said to me, "My wife took a dislike to that woman, the moment she opened her mouth!"

They may be friendly to tourists and people from other countries...it is how they treat their own that is not so admirable.

Sharp, Now that you have been to London , what is your impression of the Brit? I am not a Brit only a Long term resident, so I do not represent the archetypal reserve Brit.

weelassy1 write: that is silly Sharon....yes the english can be more stand offish in others eyes but at no time will they be rude....Maybe you should be taking them to Scotland....wooo hoooo....they are way to laid back and love thier pints and fish and chips...lmao

Hey Weelassy, it may sound silly, but that is what they told me. Also I have British friends in their 60's living in Calgary. Four yrs ago, she had a heart attack in London during a visit. Her husband was still in Canada. Everyday when he called to enquire how she was doing and what was happening...he had to go through the protocol...1st speak to the receptionist/candy striper on the floor, who then got the LPN, who then got the RN, who then got the Head Nurse, who in turn got the Doctor on the phone! At know time could the candy striper or LPN skip a level and go directly to the doctor to say, "Mr O'Shea is on the phone waiting to speak to you Doctor."

During one of my travels, I also met a Dr & his wife. As well as, a couple from Sheffield. Their accents were distinctly different! The Dr. one evening said to me, "My wife took a dislike to that woman, the moment she opened her mouth!"

They may be friendly to tourists and people from other countries...it is how they treat their own that is not so admirable.

StormLady write: You say I should initiate the conversation? I have! Numerous times..thru email...letting them know I'd like to chat with them...nothing!! It's funny..the people I've tried to contact say in their profile that they are looking for the same thing I am, yet no response. Go figure. Most of the time I initiate the conversation...as I did with this post. This is the most response I've received in over a month! lol

StormLady write: I thought that in order for a relationship to blossom, friendship must come first. Am I right? If so, then why is it that no one shows any interest in becoming friends here? I am not just looking for a man to marry...I'm also looking for a friend or two. Is there something in my profile that suggests that I'm not a friendly person? This is like sitting at the DMV waiting for your number to be called...meanwhile, out of all the people in the same room with you, no one will just start a conversation just for the hell of it. They're too busy waiting for their number to be called out (which could be hours) I guess I should not have expected this much from this web site. Perhaps I'd get a better response by placing an ad in the laundry mat. Oh well...

Storm stick it out dahlin...I have made a handfull of friends here and was blessed to meet them live recently! So if friends it is you will find them here.

Unaware of this etiquette, in Barbados a few yrs ago, I was walking the beach. Our last morning, I had just taken the pics of the kids in that gorgeous turquoise water! I walked by a couple doing the same. I smiled at them & said, "Hello, popular activity, I just did the same with my kids." They looked at me stunned, as if I were an alien! Feeling a little awkward, I continued on my walk. Upon my return they were still there. This time they hailed me down. They apologized for their stunned behaviour and told me I shocked them by speaking to them, they could not believe I was being friendly to them (complete strangers) ... they said it was unheard of in England. Hearing that stunned me! I am taking my kids to London, UK a week from tomorrow...what should I expect? Unfriendly people? Don't ask for directions? lol

that is silly Sharon....yes the english can be more stand offish in others eyes but at no time will they be rude....Maybe you should be taking them to Scotland....wooo hoooo....they are way to laid back and love thier pints and fish and chips...lmao

London is a wonderful place to visit in my experience. I found the people friendly, and gracious. I asked one gentleman for directions, and he walked 2 blocks out of his way to point me in the proper direction and to further explain a turn he had found difficult to explain. I met no one but German tourists, and to my shame, some demanding Americans, who were anything but friendly, courteous, and they won my heart over. I admit, I had this picture of the stuffy, snobbish Englishman from so many movies and books. I loved my stay there, and the people as well. Scott Acmiralty1

good on you Scorpio , so do I..you are qite a refreshing English rose. I found in London , everyone ignores you or think you are mad if you did that..one needs to be properly introduced..at least where I live...lol maybe Yorkshire is friendlier.

Unaware of this etiquette, in Barbados a few yrs ago, I was walking the beach. Our last morning, I had just taken the pics of the kids in that gorgeous turquoise water! I walked by a couple doing the same. I smiled at them & said, "Hello, popular activity, I just did the same with my kids." They looked at me stunned, as if I were an alien! Feeling a little awkward, I continued on my walk. Upon my return they were still there. This time they hailed me down. They apologized for their stunned behaviour and told me I shocked them by speaking to them, they could not believe I was being friendly to them (complete strangers) ... they said it was unheard of in England. Hearing that stunned me! I am taking my kids to London, UK a week from tomorrow...what should I expect? Unfriendly people? Don't ask for directions? lol

Scorpio,
I married an English solicitor and arrived in London in the 80s and the only way to find friends was to take my kids to the park or have a dog..six months in Tokyo, where we moved to later, I found I had more friends than I did for 6 years in London. People are too busy to make friends in London, we hardly know our neighbours and I remembered when they had that train crash not long ago , some of the passengers were in the same carriage for over 10 years everyday when they took the same train and never even acknowledged each other till that fateful crash!
the Brits guard their privacy with a vengence and hence you see no one on the train ever speak to each other but prefer to bury themselves in their books or newspapers , avoiding eye-contact at all cost...lol

Bonnie write:
good on you Scorpio , so do I..you are qite a refreshing English rose. I found in London , everyone ignores you or think you are mad if you did that..one needs to be properly introduced..at least where I live...lol maybe Yorkshire is friendlier.

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On the whole Bonnie, Yorkshire is a friendly place but some functions I go to if you want to talk to someone in particular then you have to find out who knows them first so you can be properly introduced by a mutual friend.(obviously if someone is introduced to me then I know they are interested lol)

I have a friend who organises the Lord Mayors Ball and similar functions for charity and he seems to find it hilarious to sit me between the 2 most boring bachelors of all times!!!! lol

scorpio_ice write: I always start conversations in waiting rooms...its amazing how many will join in!!

Dont ever wait for someone else to start something that you want...YOU start it..! There are so many friendly people on here I am sure if you see someone you like on the forums and send them an email saying how much you like their postings etc they will answer you. lol I did!

good on you Scorpio , so do I..you are qite a refreshing English rose. I found in London , everyone ignores you or think you are mad if you did that..one needs to be properly introduced..at least where I live...lol maybe Yorkshire is friendlier.

I always start conversations in waiting rooms...its amazing how many will join in!!

Dont ever wait for someone else to start something that you want...YOU start it..! There are so many friendly people on here I am sure if you see someone you like on the forums and send them an email saying how much you like their postings etc they will answer you. lol I did!